


Well, This is Ironic.

by lostatsea



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Anxiety, Depression, vent fic, volunteering
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-19
Updated: 2019-01-19
Packaged: 2019-10-12 23:15:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17476787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lostatsea/pseuds/lostatsea
Summary: An ode to those who struggle in silence.





	Well, This is Ironic.

Tyler sat on the side of the table where he volunteered, mindlessly painting a phrase on a canvas and listening to the dull chatter of the room. He had been volunteering here for a few months now; it was a mental health organization that spurred from the suicide of someone in his school during the past year. It was a way to give back to the community, but he also used it as a way to give back to himself. No one knew the latter part, though.

“Could you guys stop what you are doing for a second and listen up?”

Tyler turned around to see the organization owner standing with her phone.

“I found an article that has a really important message, and I wanted to read it to you guys.” 

Heads around the room began nodding, and Tyler too sat back with eager ears. 

And she began. It was a story about a girl who met with a therapist for the first time—the therapist noticed she was struggling with severe anxiety and depression yet she had a 4.0 GPA and was involved in numerous extracurriculars. 

Tyler could feel his cheeks burning. Why was she reading this? Were people looking at him? Did they know? He fumbled with the paintbrush in his hands and hastily starting swiping. A vibrant, sweaty, nervous heat was starting to overpower him. 

_ “It’s easy to put depression into a box of symptoms, and though we as a society are constantly told mental illness comes in all shapes and sizes, we are stuck with a mental health stock image in our heads that many people don’t match.”  _

He didn’t dare glance up. He felt eyes piercing into his side. 

_ “If we keep allowing our perception of what mental illness looks like to dictate how we go about recognizing and treating it, we will continue to overlook those who don’t fit the mold. We cannot keep forgetting that there are people out there who, though they may not be able to check off every symptom on the list, are heavily and negatively affected by their mental illness. If we forget, we allow their struggle to continue unnoticed, and that is pretty scary.” _

She concluded with the article, her voice ceasing and muffled talking came about in the room. 

Tyler looked up. No one looked back.

“I think we just need to keep that idea in mind while we are volunteering and spreading awareness,” the organization owner smiled. “It reminds me of some of you,” she looked at a couple of faces. Tyler’s was not one of them. 

“Now carry on,” she continued. Tyler was used to that.

**Author's Note:**

> the article. it's a good read.  
> https://themighty.com/2016/05/high-functioning-depression-we-cant-overlook-the-overachievers/?utm_source=NP&utm_medium=Facebook&utm_campaign=American_Foundation_for_Suicide_Prevention&fbclid=IwAR1XjxbbehlZtPc-uEOGUTb5b-2cjb6AmkS69yDk-mSbLVt0A59GTuTrkcQ


End file.
